Forbidden Games: The Justin Fashanu Story

As a child, Justin Fashanu and his brother, John -- of Nigerian descent -- were given by their mother to be raised by a kindly white family in a small village in England that was entirely white, setting the scene for FORBIDDEN GAMES: THE JUSTIN FASHANU STORY. This was in the 1960s and '70s, amid extreme racial tensions in the United Kingdom. Contending with abandonment issues along with racism, both Justin and John found a way to rise above their circumstances by developing their considerable talents for soccer. Both eventually went pro. Justin's star shone the brightest at first: He was a player whose dramatic game-winning goals earned him what was then a high 1-million-pound contract. Fame went to Justin's head, and he lived a flashy lifestyle while his play on the field declined, and the rumors started swirling that he was gay. As Justin's career sank, John's rose, and their relationship took a turn for the worse when Justin put the rumors to rest by coming out as gay after being paid by a tabloid to do so. Justin's coming out, at a time when homophobia loomed large in society and was publicly proclaimed by conservative politicians as an affront to traditional values, didn't endear him to coaches, players, and fans by any stretch. As he continued to struggle with his sexual orientation -- turning to Christianity, trying to lead the media to believe that he was having an affair with a popular female tabloid model -- Fashanu went from team to team, trying to make a go of it as a player in Canada before trying to start a new life in Baltimore as a soccer coach. It was in Baltimore where Fashanu was accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old boy -- of drugging him in his apartment and trying to perform oral sex on him while he was passed out. Horrified of facing the consequences of this accusation, Fashanu committed suicide at the age of 37.